Old Rivals and Friends, New Love
by obsessedwanime
Summary: On HAITUS. Eight years ago Zuko lost his only friend to the enemies of the Fire Nation. Now another girl teams up with Azula, but who's enemy is she? The Fire Nation's...or the Avatar's? ZukoxOC
1. The Beginning

**Chapter 1**

An eight year old Sydeny was at her favorite part of the beach that's near her house. She's sitting on the rocks humming her favorite song while staring out at the water. Sydeny is not an average citizen of the Fire Nation. She can fire bend, just like her father, Commander Zhao. But she can also water bend. Only Sydeny knows this. It's her little secret.

Her house is in the village by the Fire Nation palace, where the Fire Lord and his family lives. Her best friend and only friend is Prince Zuko. Not even he knows Sydeny's secret.

Speaking of Zuko, he just so happens to be coming over right now.

"Hi, Zuko! Where've you been?" asks Sydeny.

"Hi, Sydeny. Sorry I'm late, but dad wanted to talk to me about something," replied Zuko.

"That's alright. Want to go swimming?"

"Sure." They quickly changed and went into the water to swim. They were having a great time, when Zuko's Uncle Iroh had to come.

"Zuko," Iroh shouted, "Your father wishes to speak with you!"

"Can't it wait?" asks Zuko, hoping Iroh will say yes.

"I'm sorry Zuko, but he says it's urgent."

"I gotta go, See you tomorrow," says Zuko to Sydeny. It was getting late and Sydeny needed to go home now anyways. Unfortunately they wouldn't see each other tomorrow or the next day.

As Sydeny was walking home, about ten guys stop her and tell her to come with them. "No!" says Sydeny trying to get free from their grasp since one guy was now holding her wrist. Then one guy took a hard object and smashed it against Sydeny's head, making her unconscious.

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The next day, she awakes. She's on a ship that is in the middle of the ocean. One of the guys who happens to be a Water Nation soldier walks in the room. "So, you're awake," says the guy being really rude. 

"Yeah, I'm awake. What's it to you?" replies Sydeny being just as rude on propose.

"You're our prisoner. Don't want you dead now, do we?"

"I don't want to be dead. But why should you care? I'm your prisoner. Remember?"

"When I said prisoner I meant bartering chip. We'll trade you for victory in the war."

"You can't win that easily. The Fire Lord has something up his sleeve that not even the Avatar can stop."

"And what might that be?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a secret anymore. Now would it?"

"You know, you're starting to annoy me."

"Good that was my plan all along. Now I suggest you leave or I'll burn you to ash."

"Sure you can. Besides I got the information I needed. Oh, by the way since you're so confident in the Fire Lord. We'll just take you to the North Pole with us. And there's no way to escape." _So that's that. I'm not going home. I'm going to the freezing North Pole. Hope It's not too cold_, thought Sydeny as she began her long journey to the North Pole.


	2. Talk with Roku

**Just so you know, if I write something in **_italics_ **that means someone is thinking. But if I don't say who's thinking it, it means one of the characters hears a voice that no one else hears. You'll know what I mean.

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**Chapter 2**

Eight years later:

Aang, Sokka, and Katara are on their way to the North Pole, hoping to find Aang a water bending teacher. "How much farther until we get there?" asked Aang for the billionth time that day.

"About two more days. We are going to the other end of the world," said Sokka.

"But I'm bored. Can we stop? Appa needs a rest," complained Aang.

"We got started flying again. Besides we're in the middle of the ocean. There's no place to stop," said Katara.

_Aang, Aang, I need to speak with you._ "Did you say something?" asked Aang.

"No. Why do you ask?" asked Katara.

"I thought I heard someone talking to me. Now that I think about it, it sounded like Roku," said Aang puzzled. _It is me Aang. I need to speak with you. NOW!_ "Roku, is that you?"

"Aang, Ruko's dead. Remember?" said Sokka getting somewhat worried.

"I know. But I thought I heard his voice," said Aang even more confused.

"Is there some other way you can talk to Roku that you might be forgetting about?" asked Katara.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot," said Aang finally remembering how he can talk to Roku.

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**Aang talking to Roku:**

"What do you want to talk to me about Roku?" asked Aang.

"You're headed to the North Pole, correct?" asked Roku.

"Yes."

"At the North Pole there is a fire bender in disguise. She will appear to be a water bender, but beware. She not. She has strong connections to Prince Zuko and Commander Zhao."

"But how? How come no one knows there that she's a fire bender? Don't they see her fire bend?"

"I'm not sure about those things Aang. All I know is that she can water bend too. That's why no one has probably suspected her of being their enemy."

"How will I know who she is? What am I supposed to do about it?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know who she is. I only know she's there. I must go now, Aang."

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**I just want to thank all you that reviewed. Just want to know one thing. How do you read them?**


	3. Finding the Girl

**Sorry for not updating. I had a lot of things going on. Besides I had major writer's block. On and if something's in **_italics_** and in parentheses, that means that's me putting in my own little side comments.

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**Chapter 3**

As we all know Aang, Katara, and Sokka are headed for the North Pole. Zuko's following them and Zhao once in a while follows Zuko. Well, today it's different. Zhao and his men have just arrived at the North Pole. And guess what, Aang isn't there yet. So Zuko isn't either. "Search the place! Someone must know where he is," commands Zhao to his men, "I'm not waiting all day!" After a couple hours Aang isn't found. _(Big fat DUH! there.)_

"Sir, we can't find the avatar," says one of Zhao's soldiers.

"Then check the tents or whatever it is these peasants live in," commands Zhao, now starting to get impatient.

"We've tried that already, sir. No one has seenan avatar here since Avatar Roku," explains the frightened soldier.

"That can't be possible. We couldn't have beaten him here," says Zhao to himself. Even though everyone can hear him.

"Sir, we found someone that might interest you," says another one of Zhao soldiers.

"If it's not the avatar, I'm not interested!" exclaims Zhao.

"But sir, we believe it's your daughter," says the second soldier.

"Oh, really. Being her here!"

"Right behind you." Zhao turns around to find a young woman about the age of sixteen wearing Water Nation clothing. She has long black hair and glaring, cold, brown eyes.

"Oh please. My daughter would never wear blue. What do you take me for? An idiot?" screams Zhao to his troops.

"Never judge a book by its cover," says the young woman. After stating this, she goes to punch Zhao, but instead comes out a ball of fire.

"Well, well, well. You idiots actually did something right for once. Lock her in the dungeons!" says Zhao evilly.

"What? You can't do that father!" says Zhao's daughter, trying to get out of the grip two soldiers have on her.

"Oh, I can. And I will, Sydeny," Zhao says right in Sydeny's face.

"Oh no. You don't." Aang, Katara, and Sokka have finally arrived. Aang comes down off of Appa and knocks out Zhao. Giving Sydeny the chance she needs to escape her captures. Seeing that Sydeny has escaped all of Zhao's soldiers start fighting. While everyone is occupied in the rumble, Sydeny leads Aang, Katara, and Sokka away from the fight and to her home. It's really more like a hiding spot.

"Thanks for saving me," says Sydeny to the gang. _(You know who I mean.)_

"It was no problem. Where are you taking us?" asks Aang.

"Yeah. And how do we know we can trust you?" asks Sokka rudely.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," says Sydeny simply. She then stops walking and looks at the ground. Then she moves the snow from one section of the ground using water bending. Reveled from under the snow is a metal trap door. She lifts it up manually and climbs down into the chamber. Once at the bottom she calls, "Aren't cha coming?" Aang, Katara, and Sokka climb down in that order into the chamber below.

"Wow," Aang, Katara, and Sokka say in unison. The chamber turns out to be a huge steel room. Kind of like the ones on fire navy ships, except bigger. The room is lit with candles all around. In one corner is a futon with blankets and pillows. In another corner is a box of scrolls. And in the center of the room are cushions or pillows to sit on. And the most amazing quality of the room is… it's really warm for being made of steel in ice. The walls aren't even the slightest bit of cold.

"Is this where you live?" asks Katara.

Sydeny answers, "Yupe."

"How'd you build this?" asks Sokka. Who is really amazed.

"I didn't. I found it when I first came here."


	4. Answers always come with more questions

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

**Sorry for taking forever to update again. So much going on and everything. Also I didn't know Zhao was promoted to Admiral. I'm not going to change it in the last chapter, but I'll call him Admiral Zhao from now on.**

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Chapter 4 **

"What do you mean When I first came here?" asked Aang.

"I wasn't born here. When I was eight waterbenders raided my town and I was taken prisoner," replies Sydeny. Her hands then start to glow red, but no one notices.

"I don't believe it. Why would they raid allies?" says Katara thinking out loud.

"Hey, wait a minute! Who are you?" asks Sokka who just realized they don't know Sydeny's name.

"My name's Sydeny. I was wondering when one of you would ask."

"You're a waterbender aren't you?" Katara asks Sydeny.

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Aang and I want to learn how to waterbend."

"Are you waterbenders?"

"Katara is. I'm the Avatar," says Aang proudly.

"Aang!" Katara and Sokka say together.

"It's alright. I could tell by his airbender tattoos that he's the Avatar," says Sydeny trying to calm them down. "And I'd be honored to teach the Avatar… and Katara."

"Thanks!" says Aang putting a huge smile on his face.

"Then it's settled. You all can stay here if you want. I'm going to see if Zhao is conscience yet. Stay here 'til I get back," Sydeny says climbing up the latter.

"I don't trust her," Sokka says folding his arms and sitting on a pillow once Sydeny had closed the door behind her.

"You don't trust anyone," Katara says in a matter-of-fact voice.

"But she's different. She said her town was raided by _waterbenders_ when she was eight and yet she's a waterbender. The only place waterbenders would raid is the Fire Nation. She's probably a Fire Nation spy and is turning Aang into Zhao right now," says Sokka.

"But Sokka she _can_ waterbend. If she's from the fire nation, how can she waterbend?" asked Aang.

"Yeah, Sokka. Explain that!" Katara ordered her brother.

"I don't know. There must be an explanation somewhere."

**

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To Sydeny **

She came out of her hiding spot, closed the trap door and covered it back up with snow. As she got closer to where Zhao and his soldiers are she heard voices. _Holy shit! They're awake! _thought Sydeny.

"Admiral Zhao, we can't find the Avatar or your daughter anywhere. It's as if they vanished," says one of Zhao soldiers.

"Are you sure they didn't leave?" asked Zhao.

"Well…no," says the same soldier.

"They must have there's no other place they could've gone to. Round up the men and get back on the ship. We're leaving," says Zhao as he walks back to his ship.

"Yes, sir. Right away," says the soldier. A couple of minutes later Zhao and his men were on the ship and sailing away from the North Pole. Once they were out of sight, Sydeny went back to the hideout.

"They're gone," says Sydeny when she reached the bottom of the latter.

"Great! Now we don't have to worry about Zhao," says Sokka with a smile on his face.

"True, but we still have to worry about Zuko," says Katara worriedly.

"Zuko? As in _Prince_ Zuko of the Fire Nation?" asks Sydeny absolutely stunned. _Why would Zuko be after the Avatar?_ thought Sydeny.

"Why's Zuko after Aang?" Sydeny asks no one in particular.

"I think he said something about restoring his honor, but I'm not positive," says Katara thinking back to when they got the waterbending scroll.

"Whatever. We'll start lessons tomorrow. Now go to sleep, you'll need it," says Sydeny laying down on her futon and falling asleep instantly.

Sokka goes over to the trap door and lifts it up, "But it's still light out." And sure enough light was pouring into the room.

"Sokka, it's summer here. It's light out 24/7," Katara explains to her brother.

"Oh, right."

"Let's just listen to Sydeny and go to sleep," says Aang.

**

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Thanks for reading! Oh, I was wondering if anyone thinks I should post the Seto Kaiba story I'm writing. Message me with your answer. Okay? I really want to know what you think. Thanks. **


	5. Waterbending and a surprise

**Sorry it took so long to update. Between school, homework, marching unit practice, friends, and other after school stuff I haven't had much time to write. I have also had major writers block since I haven't updated any of my other stories either.**

**I would really a like it if you (the readers) would voice your opinions on the chapters. Any and all ideas for upcoming chapters are welcome. Even flames. I would actually like some criticism.**

**Anyway, on with the chapter that has taken me so damn long to write.

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**Chapter 5**

By morning all of Zhao's men and Zhao have left to continue their search for the Avatar. "Aang, Katara, wake up. We're going to start today," whispers Sydeny careful as to not wake Sokka.

"Huh? What?" says Aang confused.

"We're going to start your waterbending training today. So get up."

"Aren't I coming?" asks Katara.

"Of course. Now get up so we can start," replies Sydeny smiling.

"What about breakfast?" asks Aang.

"All part of your training."

"What about Sokka? Is he coming with us?" asks Katara looking at her older brother.

"If he gets up in time. Besides, he'll be able to find us when he wakes up." At this Sydeny opens the door and climbs out. Aang and Katara follow suite leaving Sokka asleep in the chamber. Sydeny, Aang, and Katara walk to the water's edge to begin today's training session. "Now Aang, Katara I want you to catch your breakfast using waterbending. I'll demonstrate." Right then Sydeny has the water come up like a geyser and shot the fish on top onto the snow. "Now you try." Aang and Katara look into the water. Katara has spotted a fish and uses the same technique as Sydeny and bring the fish onto the snow by the fish Sydeny caught. Now Aang sees a fish and tries to bring it onto the snow like Sydeny and Katara, but he can't seem to have the geyser bend in the correct direction to bring the fish onto the snow. Instead it falls back into the water. "Nice try Aang. Perhaps you can think of a different way to get the fish onto the snow," says Sydeny now carrying a pile of wood in her arms. She drops it onto the snow and begins to arrange it into a campfire stance. Aang continues to work at it, but can't seem to get the fish onto the snow. Katara has now decided to watch Aang try and try again. When the wood is in the right position and Aang and Katara aren't looking Sydeny uses FIREBENDING to light the fire. Finally, Aang tries a different technique. He has the water shot up like a geyser, but then brings some snow over with his other hand and has the fish fall onto the snow that way. Once the fish is one the snow he guides it back to shore. "Very good Aang. Now let's eat."

"Hey, were you going to leave me down there all day and not bring any food?" asks a very angry Sokka.

"Of course not, Sokka," says Sydeny as she brings another fish over and begins to cook it with the others. The days past similar to the first.

It has been a month since Aang, Katara, and Sokka arrived at the North Pole and there has been no sign of Zhao or Zuko since their arrival. Until now that is. Sydeny is outside the chamber and just thinking of things when Prince Zuko comes up to her. "Where is the Avatar?" Zuko asks as coldly as the air.

"How should I know?" replies Sydeny just as coldly.

"That's a lie," he states smirking.

"What gives you that ridiculous idea?" she asks now standing up. She's slightly shorter than Zuko, but still needs to look up to see his eyes.

"I can see it in your eyes." Right then the trap door begins to open, but Sydeny puts her foot on it and pushes down with her foot as a sign to not come up, but Zuko sees the action anyway. "What's that?"

"What's what?"

"I saw the ground come up a little bit behind you," he replies now looking at the spot where the trap door is. He reaches down to wipe away the snow, but Sydeny stops him. But instead of grapping his hand and pulling it away she stands in front of him and accidentally…

KISSES HIM!

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**And that is the end of the chapter. Remember to review and I do except anonymous reviews. Also I would like to know if you think I should post the Seto Kaiba fic I'm writing. There are details about it on my profile.**


	6. Join up with Azula

**Chapter 6**

_What the…? _Is all Zuko could think before Sydeny pulls away. She just stares at him like he just grew another head. "What in the world was that?" shouts Zuko.

"A kiss, duh," replies Sydeny.

"Let me rephrase that. Who gave you the permission to do that?"

"Since when do I need permission to do anything?"

"Since you mess with me."

"And who might I be messing with?"

"Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. Not like you didn't know that." With that Sydeny just smiles. _I don't like that look in her eye._

"Zuko, really? I didn't recognize you."

"Prince Zuko, this is not the time to be flirting with young ladies," says Iroh calmly as he approaches the two.

"I'm not flirting, uncle!" says Zuko as he begins to loose his temper, "Why does he always assume that?" he adds under his breath.

"General Iroh, it's so good to see you again," says Sydeny which in turn earns curious stares from Zuko and Iroh.

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"Did Sydeny just say that she has met Zuko's uncle before?" asks Sokka. 

"I'm pretty sure that's what she was implying," says Katara.

"But she said it like she was happy to see him. Why would a waterbender be happy to see an old Fire Nation general?"

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"Well, well, well what do we have here? A traitor, a banished prince, and a crazy old man. How sad," says Admiral Zhao, who has just arrived to the scene. 

"What do _you_ want?" spats Sydeny.

"Do you really have to ask dear daughter?"

"DAUGHTER!" exclaims Iroh, Zuko, Aang, Katara, and Sokka.

"Move out of my way," orders Zhao as he moves toward where the trap door is.

"NO!" screams Sydeny.

"Why Sydeny what do you have to hide?" Just as the sun has finished rising.

"You're lucky," is the only thing Zhao says before he leaves to return to his ships to commence the attack on the North Pole. And the siege on the North Pole begins. **(AN: we all know what happens, so I'm not going to write down)

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It's five weeks after the siege and Sydeny is walking about a trading post in the Earth Kingdom. There she sees a flash of red clothing and decides to follow. "Azula, is that you?" she asks as she approaches three girls in Fire Nation apparel. By now they have moved out of the trading post, away from any onlookers. 

"That's Princess Azula to you. Who are you anyway?" replies the girl in the center of the three.

"Why it's Sydeny, Zuko's friend. Mai, Ty Lee, it's good to see you again."

"Admiral Zhao's daughter?" Sydeny nods, "It's good to see you are safe after what happened so many years ago."

"So, what brings you out here? Shouldn't you be getting home?" asks Ty Lee.

"Well, I'm trying to find away home. But of course no one is willing to go into Fire Nation territory," replies Sydeny.

"That gives me an idea. How about you come with us? Once we've completed our mission we'll be going back to the Fire Nation and I'll happy to give you a ride," offers Azula.

"I love that idea! But what's this mission that you're talking about?"

"Just capturing a few people who are threats to my father plans for ending the war."

"Like who?"

"The Avatar, obviously, my brother, my uncle…those kinds of people."

"You think Zuko and Iroh are threats to the Fire Nation?" laughs Sydeny.

"Yes, well…"

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha"

"Will you stop laughing already?" yells an angered Azula.

"Sorry…hahaha…but it's hard to believe that an old retired general and a prince who can hardly fire bend are a threat. It just sounds so ridiculous. I'm surprised some one with talents such as yours hasn't captured them already."

"Yes it is a shame, but I think if your…unique abilities were added to our team it will happen much sooner."

"You haven't lost your ability to kiss up to people, have you? Well, since you put it _that_ way…I'll join you."

"Excellent. Now we need to get you different clothes."

"Why?"

"So you don't look like an Earth Kingdom peasant."

"But wouldn't it be better to actually look like Earth Benders? It would help us blend in and wouldn't draw Zuko, Iroh, or the Avatar's attention and put them on guard. Isn't it better to have the element of surprise?"

"I agree with Sydeny," Mai says having spoken for the first time in this conversation.

"So do I," agrees Ty Lee, "They'll never suspect it's us if we look like everyone else."

"Absolutely not! I'm not looking like a peasant," Azula stubbornly says.

"How about we get you something that looks Fire Nation, but enough Earth Kingdom to fool anyone," says Sydeny, trying to compromise with Azula.

"Fine, but if we can't find anything, we're getting you Fire Nation clothes."

"Deal."

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"I wonder what happened to Sydeny. She vanished after the siege," says Katara. 

"I don't know, but it's probably for the best. Someone who is happy to see a Fire Nation general has to be bad news," comments Sokka.

"Well she taught Katara and I water bending, so she can't be that bad," says Aang not ready to think that Sokka could be right for once.

"We better get going. No reason to be sitting ducks for Azula to catch," says Sokka.

"Well we know who woke up on the right side of theflying bisonthis morning," Katara says sarcastically.

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**Sorry this took so long. Again stupid writes block and I'm just too lazy to write. Hope you enjoyed. Be on the look out for chapter 7!**


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